The Prophet and His Day: Isaiah 1-39 - Free Bible Commentary

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 29:9-129Be delayed and wait,Blind yourselves and be blind;They become drunk, but not with wine,They stagger, but not with strong drink.10For the LORD has poured over you a spirit of deep sleep,He has shut your eyes, the prophets;And He has covered your heads, the seers.11The entire vision will be to you like the words of a sealed book, which when they give it to the onewho is literate, saying, "Please read this," he will say, "I cannot, for it is sealed." 12 Then the bookwill be given to the one who is illiterate, saying, "Please read this." And he will say, "I cannotread."29:9 “Be delayed and wait,Blind yourselves and be blind” The first two poetic lines of this verse have four IMPERATIVES.1. be delayed, BDB 554, KB 552, Hithpalpel IMPERATIVE, MASCULINE PLURAL2. wait, BDB 1069, KB 1744, Qal IMPERATIVE, MASCULINE PLURAL; lit. “be astounded,”cf. Hab. 1:5NASB“wait”NKJV“wonder”NRSV“be in a stupor”NJB“stunned”LXX, Peshitta “be amazed”3. blind yourselves, BDB 1044 I, KB 1612, Hithpalpel IMPERATIVE, MASCULINE PLURAL4. be blind, BDB 1044, KB 1612, Qal IMPERATIVE, MASCULINE PLURAL, cf. 6:9-10; Micah 3:6-7It is possible that #3 and #4 are from the Hebrew root “to delight in” (BDB 1044 II), if so then thephrase is sarcasm.Notice the balance between human freedom, v. 9 and divine sovereignty, v. 10. Both are true! SeeSpecial Topic at 1:3.} “They became drunk” This is another use of the term drunkenness (BDB 1016, KB 1500, QalPERFECT) to describe the apostasy of the political and religious leaders of God’s people (cf. 28:1-4,7-8).29:10-12 Notice YHWH’s activities in removing His message from His people (cf. 6:9-10; Mic. 3:6-7).1. the LORD has poured on you (BDB 650, KB 703, Qal PERFECT) a spirit of deep sleep (BDB924 CONSTRUCT BDB 922)2. He has shut (BDB 783, KB 868, Piel IMPERFECT) the eyes of your prophets3. He has covered (BDB 491, KB 487, Piel PERFECT, TEV “blindfolded”) both the civic andreligious leadership’s eyes (cf. vv. 11-12; 6:9-10; 8:16)Verse 10 is quoted by Paul in his discussion of Israel’s failure to believe/trust in Jesus as Israel’sMessiah in Rom. 11:8.29:11 “sealed” This VERBAL (BDB 367, KB 364, Qal PASSIVE PARTICIPLE) is also used by Isaiah in8:16, where it refers to a revelatory scroll written by the prophet at God’s direction. The “sealing”referred to a way of1. indicating ownership2. assuring security286